Truss.



U. GLUTHE.

muss. .APPLIGATION FILED NOV. 18, 1910. 1,073,216. Patented Sept. 16, 1913.

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J e 7' 4 5y awu /wtoz 614% 0. GLUTHE.

TEUSS. APPLICATION FILED NOV. 18, 1910. 1,073,21 6. Patented Sept. 16, 1913.

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G. OLUTHE.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 18, 1910.

Patented Sept. 16, 1913.

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i )N ITED STATES PATENT OFFIQE.

CHARLES CLU'IHE, 0F GLEN RIDGE NEW JERSEY, T0 CLUTH'E, JR., FREDERICK GLUTHE, HERMAN CLUTHE, AND: .Z-XLFIRiED (FLU THE.

TRUSS.

. Sp ra ification of? Letters Patent;

Patented S ept. 16,1913.

Application filed November 18; 1910. Serial No. 593,625.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it. known that 1,. CHARLES CLUTHE, a citizen of the United States, and residing in Glen Ridge, Essex county, State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Trusses, of which the following is. a full and clear specification, illustrated in the accompanying. drawings, the novel features of my invention. beingmore fully pointed out in the annexed claims..

My invention relates to: a particular manner of supporting rupture pads so. that when the. abdomen-is. inflated by coughing, lifting or sneezing, or any other exertion or strain, and the intestines. are pressed. down and outwardly, this pad not only is deflected so. as to. throw its lower edge inwardly but. the whole paditself has a tendency to. move inwardly so as to completely and efiectively seal the rupture opening with increased pressure.

In the accompanying drawings I have illustrated my invention.

Inthese' drawings Figure. 1 represents a front elevation of the abdominal supporter. Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the supporter in small scale attached to a person- Fig. 3 is a vertical section on. the line a ;m: in Fig. l seen in the direction of the arrows. of the pivot joint which connects the pivotal arms with the supporter on either end; the joint is shown in larger scale. l is a front elevation of a modification of my supporter attached to a person. Fig. 5 a side elevation of the central portion of the sup.- porter showing the position of the abdominal pad. Fig. 6 is a diagrammatical illus tration of how the rupture pad, when attached to its support inmy novel manner, will act under the effect of the inflated ab.- domen. Fig. 7 is alongitudinal vertical section through a rupture pad in actual size, with the ball joint in fullview. Fig. 8

shows the ball jointed portion of the pad in longitudinal vertical section in larger scale and the manner in which the center of the ball may be moved toward the body when the pad is tilted into position in which it checks the protrusion of the hernia. Figs. 9, 10, 11, 13. and l5 are modifications of the.

manner in which the purpose stated with.

reference to Fig. 8 maybe obtained. Fig.

- 12* is a top View of the ball shownwin the he note Fig. I41 is a modificationof' the manner in which the effect of the structure described with reference. to Fig. 8. may be obtained with a structure shown in Fig. 7.

Referring to Figs. 1, 2 and 3 which show the supporterfl is. the main body of the supporter which has substantially the shape as shown in Fig. I, the upward protruding central tongue 2 being tilted away from the wearer sufliciently to conform with the normal abdominal line. The two ends of the supporter extend to about midway between the center of the abdomen and the hip as shown in Fig. 2. At each end is provided a pivotal joint 3 shown in detail vertical section in Fig. 3. From Fig. 8. it will be seen that the ends 45 of the supporter are provided with small humps 5' arranged in a circle and a central opening, and arms 6, one of which is attached to each end of the sup.- porter, are provided with indentations c0rrespondingly arranged in a circle so that when arm 6 is fastened to. end i of the supporter for instance by screw 7, which passes through the center of the circle above referred to, the humps of the supporter end will engage with the recesses 8' of arm 6 and form a ratchet joint. A number of recesses and humps being arranged the arm 6 may be attached to the supporter end 4: at any suitable angle for the purpose which will be described presently. In Fig. 2' which shows the supcporter attached to, a person, it will i that arms 6 are tilted downward at an angle to the supporter ends 4.. To free the ends of these arms the back straps 9 which pass around the back of the wearer are pivotally attached in any suitable manner known in the art. The back straps may be either of flexible material throughout or the portions passing. around the hips may be made of stiff metal wire or other suitable material while only the portion 9 in the back between the-twoback pads 5O is made of porter to perfectly adapt itself to the ab dominal line since the angular relation between the supporter ends and arms 6' may be adjusted to suitevery particular case.

LThe smaller theangle between arm 6 and the supporter end 4 is made the more the lower edge of the supporter will be drawn in. A suitable distance from the center of the supporter, slots 10 are provided in which the pads are fastened which bear against the lateral portions of the abdomen and which in case the wearer is not affected with a rupture may have the form of ordinary fiat pads well known in the art, such as shown at 11, or which, in case of rupture may be substituted by rupture pads, such as shown at 12 in Fig. 2. By this manner of adjustment of the supporter I avoid undue strain on the hips and on the back of the wearer since the leverage caused by the angular deflection of arms 6 effectually 1ncreases the pressure against the abdomen without thereby materlally increasing the strain of the back strap on hips and back.

In Fig. 4 I have illustrated a modification of the supporter in which instead of using a wide metal strip which has the tongue 2 integral with it, I employ a wire 13 which is bent in the manner shown in Fig. 4 so that the portion located at the center of the abdomen forms an arch, the two ends of which flare again upward as shown at 14 to correspond with the portion of ends 4 of the supporter shown in Figs. 1 and 2. Arms 6 are then attached by means of joints 3 to these ends 14 as explained above to adapt the supporter to the abdominal line of the wearer. The tongue 2 shown in Fig. 2 is substituted in this modification by a central abdominal pad 15 which is attached to the apex of the arch 13 by means of metal loop 7 16 clamped to the flattened central portion of, the arch as shown in detail in side elevation in Fig. 5, pad 15 being pivotally attached to the upper end of loop 16, as is also shown in Fig. 5. represent the abdominal line. This modification, though also adapted to serve as a mere adbominal supporter, is particularly adapted to serve as a supporter for rupture pads which will be described in detail hereinafter. The pads 11 and 12 shown in Fig. .4 which correspond with the pads 11 and 12 shown in Fig. 2, are attached to the supporter 13 in similar manner in which loop 16 is attached to the central portion of the supporter.

In the practical application of rupturetrusses, I have found that in many instances where persons affected with hernia are in physically weakened condition, the rupture pads which will operate satisfactorily in ordinary cases, will not press with sufficient force nwardly, when the inflation of the abdomen occurs, to check the rupture. In my United States Patent No. 563,449, I have illustrated a rupture pad which is attached to its support by means of a ball joint so that it will follow instantaneously the deflection of the abdominal line and so that the lower edge of In this latter figure, a, 7),

the pad will mo ve inwardly tocheck the rupoccurs. While in many cases this has oper- "ated satisfactorily, I have found this inward pressure of the'lower edge of the pad shouldrather increase, and in case of physically weakened persons and in bad cases of hernia, such' increase in pressure is absolutely necessary to meet the force o-fthe lungs which cause the pressure on. the intestines down and forward, instantaneously and automatically,

I have illustrated diagrammatically in Fig. 6, the action'of my pad described in my aforesaid patent. In this figure 20 represents the pad pressing against the hernia and its position shown in full lines represents the condition when the abdominal line 0, also shown in full lines, is normal. When the abdomen is inflated through coughing or the like and the downward pressure in-v creases, the pad, by action of its ball joint,

tilts into the position 20 shown in dotted I lines, with which the dotted abdominal line (Z corresponds. It will be seen that thus the lower edge of pad 20 is forced inwardly which, as has been stated above under ordinary circumstances is sufiicient to lock the rupture. it is desirable or even necessary to not only have the lower edge of the pad move inwardly but it is also desirable to increase the inward pressure of the whole pad so that it assumes the position shown at 20 in Fig. 6 in dotted lines.

I will now describe how'the center of the ball joint may be moved toward the body when the pad'is deflected'into the position shown at 20 in Fig. 6. Preliminarily it may be stated that the pad itself forms a hollow shell 21 as shown in Fig. 7, made of suitable material such as for instance hard rubber or the like similarly to the form shown'in my aforesaid patent, to theinside of which is attached the balljoint which consists of a plate 22 carrying a stem 23 attached to its center which stem in turncar As stated above in some instances purpose of this spring being to normally hold the ball joint in straight alinement.

Sutficient play is provided for the ball in its socket'in the direction of the stem 23, and spring 27 has besides the above function the tendency to push the ball 24 out of the socket so that whenthe pad is attached to the wearer the ball is pushed into the socket and onto its seat, against the tension mane of spring 27". This tends to keep the pad V the abdomen intov any' position without tile center ofthe ball therebymoving toward the body of the wearer. As has been explained before, it is in some instances, however, desirable to have the center' of the ball move toward the body when the pad is tilted into the position shown in Fig. 6 in dotted lines 20", in which the rupture islikely to slip out, while, when the padis tilted either way laterally or upwardly by movements of' the abdomen, which are not likely to cause the rupture to protrude, the center of the ball should remain in place.

In the following modifications, which I Y will now describe, which illustrate my novel ball joint forpads, I have always shown the normal position of the ball, and that in which it is shifted when the pad is tilted into the position 20 shown in Fig. 6. In these modifications I have omitted to illustrate the main body 21 of the pad shown in Fig. 7 and aside from the ball joint proper I have only shown the foot plate 22.

Referring now to the modification shown in Fig. 8, 25 represents the socket of the ball joint which is provided with a suitably shaped lining 28 in which the ball 24 of the joint is embedded. From this figure it will be noted that on the right hand side lining 28 is substantially adapted to the shape of the ball while onthe left handside it extends beyond the periphery of the ball on a line tapering away from the top of the ball downward. The lining on the side of the ball facing the observer and on the opposite side fits snugly to the ball the same as is shown at the right hand side of the ball. Thus on the left hand side of the ball a pocket 29 is formed into which the ball can slip when it is forced to the left by the means to be described presently. The stem 30 of the joint passes out through the bottom of socket 25 through an opening which permits freedom of motion of the stem toward the left, toward and away from the observer, while on the right handside of the stem the socket. wall extends close to the stem as shown at 31 when the ball is in normal position shown in full lines in Fig. 8. If now by the abdominal downward pressure the pad is tilted so that it should close the hernia as explained, which I shall term hereinafter the critical position, stem 30 which already abuts against the point 31 of the socket when in normal position finds a pivot point at 31 and forces the ball to the left into the dotted position. Inasmuch as the bottom of pocket- 29 inclines toward the opening of the socket as it extends to the left, the ball in sliding along the bottom of pocket 29 is forced toward the opening of the socket which in turn forces the pad toward the body andcloses the hernia still tighter. It will be noted that if the stem 30' should be tilted from its normal posiion toward the left or toward the observer or' away from the observer in these three main positions into which the pad may thus be tilted by the movement of the abdomen, the ball remains in the deepest point of the socket as shown in fulllines in Fig. 8 so that in these three positions the center of the ball is not moved toward the body and thus the pad responds freely to all movements of the abdomen without increased pressure which are movements in which no danger exists of the rupture slipping out.

In Fig. 9 I haveillustrated a modification of the manner in which the pad may be moved toward the body and tilted into the critical position. 25 again represents the socket, 24 the ball, 30 the stem and 22 the plate by which the stem is attached to the pad. In this modification the stem passes freely through an opening in socket 25 sulficiently large to permit considerable lateral motion of the stem as shown. In this case the lining 28 extends close to the ball substantially all around its upper hemisphere while from the equatorial line of the ball downward it assumes cylindrical form as shown. At the righthand side of socket 25 is provided a small boss 32 which has a hole 33 passing vertically through the boss and beveled at either end as shown. In plate 22 is suitably fastened a pin 3% somewhat thicker than the diameter of hole and contracted at its upper end so as to freely pass through hole A rounded shoulder 35 is provided on pin 34 with which it rests against the lower rim of the opening when the ball 2-l rests at the bottom of its socket and plate 22 is in normal position as shown in full lines. If now the plate is tilted into the critical position shoulder 35 will form a pivot point for pin 34, plate 22 and ball 24L so that the center of the ball and plate 22 will move toward the body. Also in this case it will be noted that if plate 22 should be tilted into any of the three remaining main directions. that is to say, either to the left or toward or away from the observer, the contracted por tion of pin 34 will merely tilt in the hole without causing the ball to leave the bottom of the socket.

In Fig. 10 I have shown another modifi cation. 25 again represents the socket, 28 the lining, 24 the ball, and 30 the stem. The stem when in normal position shown in full lines, extends outwardly through an opening in the socket sufliciently large to permit of the socket as shown.

free lateral movement of the stem in all directions as shown. At the right hand-side and at the sides of the ball toward and away from the observer the lining 28 surrounds the ball snugly similarly to the manner described with reference to Fig. 8. Slightly laterally of the vertical center line of the ball a ridge 36 is provided on the ball which extends a suitable distance toward and away from the observer and lining 28 is sufficiently recessed near the top of the ball to permit free movement of the ball in spite of this ridge when the ball stem is tilted to the left or toward or away from the observer. At the left hand side of ridge 36 a pocket is provided in lining 28 which contains a small ball 87 which is normally in light contact with the circumference of ball 241- and which forms a part of the seat of the ball to prevent it from moving toward the left. If now stem 30 is tilted into the critical position as shown in dotted lines, it will be seen that ridge 36 comes in contact with 7 ball 37 so that thereby the ball and stem 30 are forced toward the opening of the socket and thus toward the body. On the other hand when tilting the stem into any of the other three remaining main directions the ball remains seated in its normal position shown in full lines.

In Fig. 11 l have shown another modification. 25 in this modification represents the socket, 2% the ball which I have shown in this case somewhat oblong in order to show that the ball must not be necessarily symmetrically round, 30 is the stem and 22 the pad plate. Again the stem passes freely out In the bottom of the socket is provided a bolster 40 which is flat on the side facing the ball from the center line of the socket toward the left but which is slightly curved toward the bottom of the socket toward the right. The top of ball 2st abuts against this bolster so that it can roll on it when stem 30 is tilted. However, at the left hand side of the vertical center line of the ball two humps are provided which are arranged as shown in the plane view of ball 2a in Fig. 12. These humps protrude considerably beyond the periphery of the ball but not sufhciently to come in contact with the flat surface of bolster 40 when the ball is in normal position as shown in full lines in Fig. 11. However, if stem 30 and plate 22 are tilted into the critical position shown in dotted lines humps 41 contact with the fiat surface of bolster 40 and thus form a pivot on which now the whole system comprising ball 24, stem 80 and plate 22, tilt. This again moves the ball center and thus plate 22 toward the body of the wearer and increases the pressure of the pad against the hernia. It will be also noted that if ball 2% is rocked into any of the remaining three main directions the ball circumference proper will remain in contact with bolster 40 and. no increase of a 7 pressure will be produced.

In Fig. 13 l have shown another modification in which again 25 represents the socket, 24: the ball, again slightly flattened as described with reference to Fig. 11, 30 the stem and 22 the pad plate, .Also inthis case the stem 30 passes freely out of socket 25.

the observer the bolster also slants slightly toward the bottom of'the socket in similar 7 manner as shown at the right hand side of the center line. In other words at the point A a hump is formed in the surface of the bolster and when stem 30and plate 22. are tilted into the critical position as shown in dotted lines, this hump will form a pivot for the ball and the whole system including ball 24:, stem 30 and plate 22, will tilt on this pivot which obviously moves the ball, the

stem and the plate farther toward the body of the wearer. when tilted into suchcritical position cannot slide off hump A toward the right because the wall of socket 25 extends sufficiently close to the circumference of the ball to prevent such sliding. On the other hand if the stem and plate 22 are tilted in any of the other three main directions previously referred to the ball will roll on bolster 40 without its center being moved toward the body of the wearer.

In Fig. 14 I have shown how the pressure of the pad may be increased in the direction of the critical position by means ofspring pressure. 25 represents the socket in full view and 24: the ball shown therein in dotted lines, 30 is the stem and 22 the pad plate. A spring. 27 of similar form as It will be noted that ball 24:,

shown in Fig. 7 is fastened at one end to the upper end of socket 25 but whereas in Fig. 7 the lower end of the spring is fastened to pad' plate 22 at or near the point.

where the stem 30 enters and is attached to the plate and whereas in Fig. 7 and the pad shown in my aforesaid patent, its central axis coincides with the axial line of the ball joint, in the modification shown in Fig. 14 this lower end of spring 27 bears against plate 22 at a point a distance away from the longitudinal axial line of stem 30 as shown in Fig-14: where its lower end is rounded off at 12, and a small socket 43 fastened to plate .22 serves as a support for this rounded end of the spring to'prevent it from slipping out of its seat, and also the axial line of the springstands at an angle to the axis of the joint, as shown at 'yy. This lower point 42 of the spring bears against plate 22 at that portion of the plate which should tilt the most toward the abdomen when the pad is tilted into the critical position.

Fig. 15 is a modification similar to that shown in Fig. 9 with the exception of pin 3% in Fig. 9 which in Fig. 15 is substituted by a spring 44: fastened at the lower end in plate 22 and extends with sufficient play through an opening 33 provided in boss 82 fastened to socket 2-5. When stem 30 and plate 22 are tilted into the critical position as shown by two dotted lines representing the middle lines of the stem and the plate respectively, it will be noted that the eflect is somewhat similar to that shown in Fig. 9 wherein a pivot point for the system comprising the ball, the stem and the plate, is formed at the rim of hole 33 on which the system swings so that the center of the ball is moved toward the body.

It will be obvious to any one skilled in the art that, while I have described all the aforesaid modifications of my improved pad so that the socket member of the ball joint is attached to the truss frame and the ball member to the pad, these conditions may be reversed without thereby changing the effect or even the structural arrangement of any of the said modifications.

What I claim is:

1. rupture pad pivotally attachable to its support by a ball and socket joint and having means supported by the fixed member of the ball and socket joint for forcing the pad with increased pressure against the hernia when the pad is tilted into the critical position, but which permit said pad to press with normal pressure against the hernia when the pad is tilted into any other position.

2. A rupture pad attachable to its support by a ball and socket joint, said joint having means which cause the ball to move off its seat when said pad is tilted into the critical position to cause the ball and the pad to press with increased pressure against the hernia but which permit the ball to remain seated in its normal position when the pad is tilted into any other position.

3. A rupture pad attachable to its support by a ball and socket joint, said joint having means interposed between the ball and its seat in the socket causing the ball to move off its seat when said pad is tilted into the critical position to force the pad with increased pressure against the hernia, but which permit the ball to remain seated in normal position when the pad is tilted in any other direction.

4:. A rupture pad attachable to its support by a ball and socket joint, said joint having a hump provided on the ball and a suitably shaped ball seat in the socket which engages with said hump when the pad is' tilted into the critical position and thereby causes the ball to leave its normal seat and to force the pad with increased pressure against the hernia but which is suitably formed to permit freedom of movement of the ball in all the other directions on its normal seat without engaging with said hump.

5. A rupture padattachable to its support by a ball and socket joint, said joint having a hump provided on the ball laterally of the longitudinal axis of the joint, and a suitably shaped ball seat in the socket which engages with said hump when the pacl is tilted into the critical position and thereby causes the ball to leave its normal seat and to force the pad with increased pressure against the hernia but which is suitably formed to permit freedom of movement of the ball in all the other directions on its normal seat without engaging with said hump.

' CHARLES CLUTHE.

Witnesses:

' H. ALFRED JAUKE,

M. G. CRAWFORD.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

